Russia and the Eurasian Republics

By Alexa Crai

Russia and the Eurasian Republics

By Alexa Crai

Extreme Climates of Russia

Russia is so cold that it has permafrost. One of the climates zones is the tundra. The tundra is flat land located in the Arctic and Subarctic regions. The regions are located in Siberia, which is located in eastern and central Russia. Another climate zone is thetaiga. It provides important timber resources. The climate of Russia is one of the most extreme in temperature.

Trans- Siberian Rail way

The railroad started to be built in 1891 and was finished in 1916. Laborers had to work with the difficult climate and terrain. The construction project required several workers. Thousands of Russian convicts, soldiers, and peasants were enlisted to work on the railroad. All railroads have a gauge. Russia's gauge is wider than Europe and China. This was a big challenge for the country.

Chernobyl

On April 26, 1986 a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl exploded! Afterwards a radioactive cloud spread over Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. Winds carried fallout in central and Northern Europe. The accident affected many people's health. The grasses that cows grazed on were contaminated, so when they produced milk, the milk was also contaminated. Many people became ill.